The Unexpected Encounter
by shansey21
Summary: Gale thought he had everything figured out. That's until the mayor's daughter walks into his life. AU Gadge
1. The Encounter

Something about the way her blonde hair seemed to shine despite the darkness compelled me to take a step closer.

The corner of her lips twitched and I knew she realized she wasn't alone anymore.

I stopped where I was, still staring at her.

The wind began to pick up and her hair blew against the breeze.

"Hawthorne," she said, flicking the cigarette in her hand. The orange ember illuminated her pale skin.

She raised the cigarette and took a long drag.

I took another step.

She finally turned and faced me. She smirked before blowing out the puff of smoke in my direction. The smell filled my nostrils but my feet remained rooted in place.

She tucked a piece of hair behind her ear but the harsh wind tugged it out of place. "Now what are _you_ doing here?"

I gulped, my throat suddenly dry.

She pushed herself off from the brick wall and walked towards me.

Closer.

Closer.

Closer.

"You know, you've always been quite the looker," she said, staring up at me.

She threw the cigarette on the ground, the orange tip still flickering despite the strong gusts of air.

"Smoking can kill you," I finally muttered.

I wasn't sure if she heard me behind the howling wind but her smile confirmed that she had.

She shrugged and stared down at the flickering cigarette stub before slamming her left foot over it. The sound of her boot and the gravel rubbing against each other was the only noise in the darkened alleyway besides the howls of the wind.

"I know," she said.

My fingers twitched as the wind pushed her smell towards me.

She smelled like cigarettes and coffee.

"Then why do you do it?" I finally asked, my voice tightening.

She took another step towards me, finally closing the gap between us. Her hands clasped my shoulders and I could feel her cold skin through my thin shirt.

She pushed herself up and I could feel her lips against my ear. My body shivered at the contact and she let out a laugh. The air escaping from her brushed the back of my neck.

"It makes me feel alive," she whispered.

I drew in a breath, trying to figure out what to say back when she suddenly pulled herself away and placed her lips on mine.

Her lips were softer than I imagined them to be and her nails dug into my shoulders as she pushed herself closer to me.

That was my first encounter with her.

The girl who smelled of coffee and cigarettes.

The mayor's daughter.

Madge Undersee.


	2. Her

Mayor Undersee was running for his second term in office.

I stared at the television screen, the camera panning over the cheering crowd before finally focusing on his family.

His wife and daughter, dutifully standing behind him.

I focused on his daughter. She was wearing a simple white dress and her hair spilled over her shoulders. She looked so different compared to the night before. I couldn't stop staring at her dark, red lips and my mind flashed back to that moment in the alley.

The camera turned back to the mayor, finally finishing up his speech.

"…and I have and always _will_ care about the _people_ of this town, _not_ just the politics!"

The last thing I heard was the overwhelming cheers of the crowd before shutting the TV off.

"He's always been full of shit."

Katniss grabbed a towel and began to wipe down the tables of my mom's diner.

"Last time I checked, you don't work here anymore," I said, taking the towel from her.

Katniss plopped down on a chair and crossed her arms. "Hey, a girl goes off to college and all of a sudden she's not welcome?"

I finished wiping down the last table before taking a seat in front of her.

"You know you're always welcome here."

Katniss let out a cough and straightened in her seat. "So, did you miss me? I mean, you didn't write or call since I left."

Gale shrugged. "I've been busy."

"Bullshit," she said, slamming her palms onto the table. "Gale, you can't keep bottling everything up and drowning in this restaurant. You've got to talk about it sooner or later."

 _It_.

I don't know if I'd ever be able to fully wrap my head around "it".

I dropped my gaze down at the table, wiping away a smudge I had missed with my finger. I heard Katniss let out a frustrated sigh.

"How are the kids? How's Hazel?" she finally asked, finally dropping the subject.

"They're good. Everyone's great," I stared at the smudge. It smeared even more and I finally reached for the discarded towel and wiped it off.

Katniss remained silent and I finally looked up at her.

"I did miss you, you know."

A smile finally tugged at her lips. "I know."

* * *

My dad died the summer before I was supposed to go off to college.

A mine collapse.

Being from such a small town, over half the people here worked or knew someone who worked at the mines.

It was the main export here.

My family always knew that working there was a risk.

After my dad's death, my household got a generous check from city hall and my mom decided to open up a small diner.

My mom had been holding up well but I knew I couldn't just leave her and go away to a school five hundred miles away.

So I stayed.

To say my mom was furious would be an understatement.

I was the first one in my family that would've gone to college—a full ride.

I had worked my ass off studying and when I wasn't studying, I was working small jobs around town. I couldn't risk relying on only scholarships so I had saved up some money so that I wouldn't have to take out as many loans.

For years and years I had blown off parties, girls, and friends to work towards going to college, trying to make something out of myself.

Who knew one mine collapse later, all my hopes and dreams of leaving this small shithole would be gone?

Despite all that, I don't regret my decision.

At the end of the day, when I pass by my mother's room and see her looking at my father's picture, I know that I needed to be here.

* * *

I could feel the sweat now streaming down my back as I lifted the final bag of flour onto the bed of my truck. I thanked the warehouse worker and began to securely tie down the bags in place. The warehouse where we got most of our basic ingredients—flour, sugar, oil, was a good two hours from town. I made the trip every other Sunday, the only day the diner was closed.

I wiped my forehead with the back of my hand, cursing the heat before the smell hit me.

Coffee and cigarettes.

I turned and my eyes widened as I took in the person standing before me.

She was wearing jeans and a white tank top and her hair was up in a ponytail.

The dark red lipstick from earlier was long gone.

"I think you'd look a lot better with that sweaty shirt off, don't you think?" she said, putting her hands in her pockets. She remained standing where she was.

I ignored her and instead closed the bed of the truck, double checking that the bags were secured.

I turned away from her and made my way to the drivers side when I heard her footsteps approaching me.

"Wait," she said, her voice quieter this time.

My hand paused at the handle, holding my breath.

"Can you give me a ride?"

I glanced over and saw her standing only a few steps away from me. A sigh escaped my lips as I pulled open the door.

"Get in."

* * *

The car ride was silent.

I didn't need to ask her where she lived.

Everyone knew where the mayor's house was.

"Can I open the window?" she asked, already pushing the button.

She drummed her fingers against the side of the truck and hummed to herself.

"Thanks for the ride by the way," she said, glancing over at me.

I coughed and continued to stare at the road. I preferred the silence.

"You definitely saved my ass," she continued. "I owe you one."

I slowly stepped on the brakes as I approached a red light. "Why?"

"Why what?" she asked, amusement twinkling in her eyes.

"Why are you talking to me? I wasn't even a speck on your radar and now I run into you two days in a row and you're talking to me like I finally exist," I said, anger boiling inside me. I know my thoughts were illogical and irrelevant but I couldn't stop. "And why didn't you have your daddy's car with you, huh? I mean, why the hell were you stranded at a fucking warehouse of all places, especially one _two hours_ away?"

She seemed to be taken aback and I pressed the gas as the light finally changed. Madge pursed her lips and stared out the window before smiling to herself. Her smile only frustrated me even more.

"I can't drive," she finally said. "I can't drive, so I don't have my _daddy's car_ , like you so simply put before." She proceeded to stick her hand out the window, wiggling her fingers in the air.

My grip on the steering wheel tightened but I kept silent. I didn't press the issue of why she was two hours away from town the same day the mayor announced that he would be running for a second term. I didn't ask how she even _got_ to the warehouse and I definitely didn't ask why she had kissed me the other night. I didn't say a word when I finally rolled to a stop in front of her huge brick house. I didn't look her way when she hopped out my truck and I didn't say goodbye as she muttered a quick thank you.

It was only when I stopped at the corner of her street that I let myself glance at the rearview mirror. To my surprise, Madge was still standing at the front of her yard, a hand raised to her forehead, blocking out the sun as she looked up at her house. She then dug into her back pocket and pulled out a cigarette before taking a seat on the curb.

My eyes caught sight of the sparks jumping off her lighter before turning my attention back onto the road and quickly rounding the corner.

* * *

Rory was standing outside the diner, digging into the dirt with a stick.

I turned off the engine and hopped out of the truck.

"You gonna help me or what?"

He jumped up as he finally noticed me and ran in my direction. We unloaded the truck in silence and after the last load, I finally noticed the sign hanging up at the front door.

HELP WANTED.

"Ma! What's all this about?" I entered the diner, wiping the sweat off my forehead.

My mom walked out of the kitchen, drying her hands.

"You can read, can't you?" she said, laughing as she set down her towel. "It's a help wanted sign."

I sat down and rubbed my eyes. "I know what it is, Ma. What I _don't_ know is, _why_ you put it up."

She took a seat in front of me and sighed. "Well, the restaurants been picking up these days and we need more help. With it being summer and all, I figured an extra set of hands wouldn't hurt." She grabbed my hand and I finally looked up at her as she continued. "And I was thinking, well…maybe you can apply to school again. We can train the new worker this summer while you figure out some options. It's not too late, Gale."

I pulled my hand out of her grasp. "No."

"Gale-"

"I said no, Ma."

"I just think-"

"I don't need you to think for me, alright? School's not for me…not anymore, okay? I'm happy here," I said. "If you need an extra set of hands, that's fine with me. But don't expect me to just agree with what you had planned for me, okay?"

My mom nodded and I sat back down, holding her hands in mine. "I appreciate it, Ma. I really do. But…I'm just not ready for that okay? Just…not yet."

We sat in silence, and I noticed how rough her hands were in mine.

* * *

The worst thing about summer isn't the heat.

It's the mosquitos.

I smacked my arm for what seemed like the hundredth time before entering the bar.

The room was filled with smoke and music was blaring. A group of guys were shouting around the pool table and I scanned the room, my eyes stopping when I spotted the familiar dark hair braided down her back. I walked towards Katniss who was talking animatedly with the bartender.

I tugged at the bottom of her braid, causing her to spin around, her cheeks flushed as a wide grin spread across her face.

I noticed the two empty glasses sitting in front of her and rolled my eyes. I took a seat beside her and ordered a beer before leaning towards her.

"And how exactly did you order two shots of tequila? You're underage," I said quietly.

Katniss laughed and shoved my shoulder. "I'm _twenty_ , Gale. In some countries, I would've been drinking two _years_ ago. And besides, I've learned that college isn't just a place to get a higher education." She then proceeded to pull out a fake I.D. out of her back pocket.

I took it from her and a laughed. "Katherine, huh?"

"Sounds sophisticated, doesn't it?"

I handed the I.D. back to her and gratefully took the beer from the bartender. "You know, I've had a weird day so I'm just going to let this slide. Okay, _Catnip_?"

Katniss scoffed at the old nickname and propped an elbow on the counter, resting her head in her hand.

"So what's up with you?" she asked, concern filling her features.

I gulped down the beer, savoring the taste before recapping what had happened earlier.

How I met the mayor's house at the warehouse, how my mom's wanting to hire someone new and that she wants me to apply to school.

I left the kiss out of the story, but Katniss's attention was already focused on the idea of my mom hiring someone.

"I can work there again. Hell, I already have loads of experience and that way, you don't have to worry about training someone. I'll talk to Hazel tomorrow!" Katniss smiled to herself before flagging down the bartender for a beer.

"That would be a _swell_ idea, Katniss, except for the fact that you're taking summer classes in…what was it? Two weeks? That, on top of working at the restaurant and taking care of Prim…I wouldn't ask that of you."

"Shit," she muttered. "I forgot about summer classes. Damn chemistry. If I didn't fail the fucking class I wouldn't be going through this hell." She took a swig of her beer and wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. "Maybe I shouldn't go to med school," she moaned, resting her forehead on the bar counter.

"Katniss, being a doctor has been your dream since…since forever. Don't let one class ruin that, okay?"

She lifted her head slightly and stared up at me, her cheeks beginning to flush again. "You know what? You're right!" She sat up and took another swig of her beer before wrapping an arm around me. "You've always been right, Gale. I wish I could be as smart as you."

"Yeah, maybe then you would realize how much of a lightweight you are," I said, holding her up as she began to lose her balance. "Maybe we should call it a night."

After much protest, I was able to drag Katniss through the bar. She wrapped an arm around me as we made our way to the door. The smoke in the air was heavier now, and as I pulled Katniss closer to me, the familiar smell hit me again.

The familiar smell of cigarettes and coffee that was so distinct.

I knew she was here.

I didn't want to turn around or scan the room, but my eyes seemed to already have a mind of its own and before I knew it, I had already spotted a familiar blonde head at a corner of the bar. Her ponytail from earlier had come loose but she was in the same white tank top and jeans as before.

My breath hitched for a moment but I willed myself to look away. I tightened my grip on Katniss and quickened my pace. I was almost out the door when I found myself looking at her direction again. I watched as her fingers tangled into some man's hair and how his hands were digging into her back pocket as her lips intertwined with his.

Despite the fact that I told myself it didn't matter, that _she_ didn't matter, I couldn't control the anger I was feeling.

I finally forced myself to look away and pulled Katniss out of the smoke filled bar.

* * *

"Keep this a secret from your mom, alright?" I whispered.

Prim nodded and opened the front door, letting me in. I ended up carrying Katniss half way once she fell asleep against my side and I thanked god that she hadn't thrown up— _yet_.

I laid her gently on her bed and took off her shoes. Prim brought in a glass of water and placed it on her bedside table.

"You're an angel," I winked at her and she smiled. "Now go back to bed. I'll make sure she's fine."

Prim nodded and shut the door behind her as she left.

Katniss groaned as she rolled over. I pulled the covers over her and the sounds of her light snores began to fill the room. I stifled a laugh as I undid her braid, brushing her hair out of her face. My hand lingered at the side of her face.

I pulled my hand away and quickly stood up. I wrote a quick note and placed it beside the glass of water and glanced down at her sleeping form one last time before quietly slipping out of her room.

* * *

The nice thing about living in a small town was that you could walk almost anywhere.

It was soothing.

Katniss's house was a ten minute walk from mine, and the quiet walk was calming. My mind flashed back to Katniss's warm skin and how it felt against my hand. I willed myself to forget about it, but then found myself thinking about a pair of cold hands.

"I'm running into you a lot lately," a voice spoke up, shattering my thoughts.

I felt someone falling in step beside me, and the familiar smell gave away who it was.

"I see your company's gone, huh?" I said, still not looking over at her.

She didn't seem fazed by my question and instead replied with a shrug of her shoulders. "Too much spit. Wasn't much of a great kisser."

I scoffed.

"Not as good as you," she said.

My steps slowed and then stopped altogether but she strode past me, only turning around once she reached a lampost. The light made her blonde hair look almost white in color and her pale skin seemed to glow.

"Are you going to stand there all night or walk this poor girl home?"

I told myself it wasn't because of the smile she gave me or the way her smell seemed to cloud my other senses, but I found myself muttering a quick "let's go" causing her to laugh, and instead of turning right and onto my street, I took a left instead, to the street leading towards the mayor's house.

"I knew you were quite the gentleman," she giggled, falling in step with me once again.

* * *

Tuesdays were usually pretty slow, with only a few customers here during lunchtime.

"Enjoy," I said, setting the sandwich on the table.

The man grunted a thanks before turning his attention back to the newspaper in his hands. I walked over to the counter, my mom sorting through a pile of papers by the register.

"Have you hired someone yet?" I asked, wiping my hands on my apron.

She shook her head. "No, but I did run into someone the other day that seemed _very_ willing to work here. She even offered to work the first week for free."

My brows rose at that. "Who was it?"

"Oh, you wouldn't believe it," my mom said, straightening up the papers and placing them into the folder.

My mind seemed to think of one person in particular, but I knew it couldn't be her.

It _couldn't_.

But as my mom stifled a laughter and finally looked up at me, I already knew the answer.

"The mayor's daughter. Madge Undersee."

"You can't _honestly_ think she was being serious, Ma," I said, running a hand through my hair. "I mean, she doesn't have to work! Her dad's the fucking _mayor_!"

My mom slapped my arm. "Language."

I muttered an apology but continued. "Ma, you can't. You _can't_ be serious."

My mom stood up and I already knew her mind was made up. "I think it's a great idea. She's a really sweet girl, Gale. If you talked to her, you'd think so too."

I inwardly groaned. _If you only knew_.

"She starts next week. You'll be in charge of training her," she said, already heading up the stairs to our house.

Our house was built over the restaurant, so this place was _literally_ my home and now Madge was going to take over my _home_ with her stupid cigarettes and her snobbish attitude and my own mother was agreeing to this.

I could waste my energy and argue more with my mother, but I knew that it would be no use. My mom hired Madge Undersee to work here and my hopes of never running into her again just flew out the window.

* * *

A/N: Hiiiii! What do you guys think? More to come! :) Reviews are appreciated!


	3. Strawberries

A/N: Wow! Those of you who left a review are simply amazing! So amazing, I just _had_ to post a new chapter! :) Thank you thank you!

* * *

"Hey look who it is! My new boss!"

"Why is it that the few times I actually run into you, the sun's not out. Are you a vampire?" I asked, taking my time drinking the beer in my hand.

Madge took the seat beside me, even though I hadn't offered and she ordered a beer for herself.

"Maybe I am," she said. "That would definitely make my life more interesting."

I rolled my eyes. "Being the mayor's daughter isn't interesting enough?"

At that, she fell silent, and I glanced over at her.

A sort of sadness filled her features but a quick second later, it disappeared. It happened so quickly, I thought it must've been the alcohol playing tricks on me.

"Want to dance?"

Her question caught me off guard but I scoffed. "No."

I was hoping that she would leave it at that, and to my surprise, she simply shrugged her shoulders and grabbed her beer, taking a long sip before walking out onto the dance floor. She raised her glass in the air as her hips swayed to the beat of the music. She laughed to herself as she spun around and around, her drink splashing onto the floor. I told myself to look away, to ignore her laughter and the way her slender hips moved as she danced to the music. But I found myself staring. Staring as she laughed and spun around, not caring about the world around her.

* * *

Katniss couldn't stop laughing.

She actually fell onto the floor, clutching her stomach as she rolled to her side.

"Hazel is fucking _hilarious_!" she breathed out. "I fucking love your mom, Gale. Love her!"

I winced. "It's…It's not that funny."

Katniss finally stopped laughing and looked up at me from the ground. "Oh yes it is Gale. It's the funniest thing I've heard all week. Madge Undersee working at the restaurant. With _you_."

She began to laugh again at the thought of the prim and proper mayor's daughter, getting her hands dirty in a sink full of dirty dishwater.

"Remind me to stop by next week so I can see this for myself, alright?" she said, finally sitting up.

"Oh, I can promise you that I won't."

Katniss snorted, rolling around her floor as she clutched her stomach.

* * *

When I was getting ready to leave Katniss's house, I was surprised to see Rory on her porch, his face a deep crimson color as he waved goodbye to Prim.

He didn't seem to notice me as he turned and walked off the porch and down the street. I yelled out a quick goodbye up the stairs and broke out into a light jog, catching up to Rory. I wrapped an arm around his neck, causing him to yell out in surprise.

"What's wrong with _you_?" I teased.

Rory's face reddened even more as he pushed me off him. "Nothing, alright?"

I laughed as I gave him a light shove. "It wouldn't be because of little Primrose, now would it?"

At the mention of her name, Rory's ears turned bright red and he quickened his pace. If Katniss thought the news with Madge was hilarious, then she would absolutely die when I tell her this.

* * *

"She's cute."

Finnick lifted the hot pan off the stove and poured the pasta onto the plate beside me. He glanced over at Madge and smirked. I rolled my eyes and took the plate from him.

"Don't let her face fool you, Finn. There's more too her than you think."

"Oh really?" he said, expertly cutting up the vegetables in front of him. "That should make things here more fun."

He laughed but I had already made my out of the kitchen, placing the hot plate on the awaiting table.

"If you need anything else, please let me know," I said, smiling at the older couple seated before me.

Madge stood by the door, my mom instructing her on what her duties would be as she handed Madge an apron. I watched as she carefully tied it around her waist. When she was done, she looked up at me, a smile forming on her face as she began to walk over.

"Your mom says that I should follow you around for the day," she said. "I'll be sure to take good notes."

I found myself sneering down at her, but she seemed unfazed.

"Your first mistake," I said, my voice flat.

She rose a brow and looked down at herself. "What?"

"Your outfit. The shorts? Not a good idea. I don't know if you thought showing off your legs would give you more tips but in a place where hot food is constantly being served, do you think it'd be a good idea to have all that skin showing? Tomorrow, be sure to wear long pants, preferably dark. It'll be easier to hide the stains that way. And tie your hair up. We don't need customers complaining about your pretty blonde hair falling into their food."

"Oh you think my hair's pretty?" she asked, her blue eyes gleaming with amusement.

I felt my face heat up but I continued. "And your shoes." She glanced down at her brown sandals. "Don't come complaining to me at the end of the day about your feet aching or what not."

She rolled her eyes. "Understood, _sir_."

Tuesdays were usually slow, and with Madge following me around all day, I knew it was going to be a long, excruciating day.

* * *

With Finnick's constant flirting and my mother's watchful eyes on me the whole day, I thanked god when the day was finally over. After the last group of customers left, I noticed that Madge was swaying side to side.

I looked down and could already tell that her feet were aching from standing up all day. I let out a tired sigh as I walked over to her.

"What else, boss?" she asked, smiling up at me.

I pointed to the table in the corner, filled with silverware.

"Go and roll those up," I instructed, rolling up my sleeves. "And then you can go home."

Madge raised two fingers to her forehead in mock salute and made her way to the table. I pushed my way through the kitchen doors and to the sink as I turned on the faucet. I waited for the sink to fill up as I stared out the opening and watched Madge take a seat, carefully rolling each silverware and placing them in the bucket.

"What happened to Madge doing the dishes? You were going on and on about that," Finnick said, throwing the last pot in the sink.

I poured some detergent into the warm water and watched the bubbles beginning to form. "I realized I didn't want to re-wash them once she finished. Don't want customers complaining about dirty plates now do you?"

Finnick laughed and clasped a hand onto my shoulder. "Give her a chance, yeah? You gave me one."

I sighed and grabbed a dirty plate, throwing away the leftovers.

"That's…that's different," I muttered.

Finnick tilted his head and stared at me. "Is it?"

I focused on scrubbing the plate.

"Look, Annie hates when I get home late, so I'm heading out, alright? See you tomorrow," Finnick said, pushing his way out the kitchen door before I could mutter a goodbye.

"Hey princess, you did a good job today." I watched Finnick give a wink towards Madge's direction before giving my mom a quick kiss on the cheek and heading out the door.

After I finished rinsing off the last pan, I unplugged the drain and watched the dirty water circling down the sink. All that was left were my hands—red and raw.

* * *

"So, Madge was great today," my mom said, picking up Posy from the couch. She had fallen asleep while attempting to read her favorite book, _Adventures of Little Duck_.

I threw my dirty apron into the hamper before taking off my shoes. "She barely did anything all day except for following me around like a lost dog. I guess she was great at that."

"I meant," my mom whispered, eyeing Posy before continuing, "she's a fast learner. She's quick on her feet, and…she's _great_ at rolling up silverware."

I scoffed. "Well if that's all it takes to be a great worker, then we should just go ahead and get Posy to work. She'll be hell of a lot better than Undersee."

My mom rolled her eyes. "Just give Madge a chance. You never know, she might surprise you."

She walked over to me, placing a kiss on my head before walking over to Posy's room.

If only my mother knew, I was never really into surprises.

* * *

When I went over to see Katniss the next day, I was instead greeted by Prim.

"Hi Gale," she said, opening the door slightly. I could hear someone crying and raised a concern brow. Prim read my worried features and stepped outside, shutting the door beside her. "It's my mom. She's…she's having a bad day today. Katniss left about thirty minutes ago."

I nodded in understanding. "Do you…do you need help or anything?"

The little girl shook her head. "She'll be fine. I was about to take her to her bed actually."

"Okay," I nodded. "Do you know where your sister might be?"

Prim turned her head slightly and scanned the porch. "Probably the woods."

* * *

My footsteps were quiet as I trecked over the fallen leaves. I could make out Katniss, leaning against the trunk of our tree, an apple in hand. She spotted me before digging through her bag and chucking an apple in my direction.

I caught it and took a seat beside her. "You okay?"

She shrugged and took a bite of the apple. "Just can't stand being in there when she's like that."

I slowly nodded, twirling the apple in my hands.

"Prim's always been closer to her and…she knows what to do," she continued quietly. "I just…I just get in the way."

I wrapped an arm around her and I felt her let out a shaky breath as she leaned in against me. We sat in silence for a bit before she finally groaned.

I looked down at her questioningly and she sighed.

"I think I got fifty mosquito bites out here."

"It's because you're sitting still," I said, jumping up to my feet. I offered her a hand and she grabbed it, pulling herself up. "There's wild strawberries out by those bushes. We should pick some before we go."

Katniss nodded, already collecting her things. "Sounds good."

* * *

When I reached the diner, the bag of strawberries in hand, I found Madge sitting outside. She didn't notice me and was staring down at the ground.

"You'll burn a hole on the ground, you know."

Her head shot up and she pushed herself off the wall. She eyed the bag in my hand.

"What's that?" she asked, walking over to me.

"Not for you," I said, striding past her.

She laughed and caught up to me, following me inside.

"Aren't you off today?" I asked, pushing my way into the kitchen.

She followed, ignoring my question.

"Hey Finnick," she said, waving in his direction.

Finnick looked up from the cutting board and smiled. "Madge! Thought you were off today."

"I did too," I muttered.

Madge glanced at my direction and raised a brow. "I had some _personal_ matters to attend to with Hazel and had just finished when I bumped into Mr. Grumpy Pants over here." She pointed at me.

Finnick laughed, "Oh don't mind him. His face always looks likes that."

I ignored the two and dumped the strawberries into a colander before washing them.

"Ooh, strawberries!" Madge yelled, walking over to me. She picked one up, holding it up to the light. "My favorite."

She took a bite and I forced myself to look away as the red juice dribbled down her lips and onto her chin.

* * *

After eating about half the strawberries I brought, Madge finally decided to leave.

"Well, I guess I should go," she said, "Don't wanna get in your way during lunch rush." She hopped off the counter, shoving the strawberry in her hand into her mouth. "Thanks for the strawberries!"

"For the last time, they weren't for you," I gritted through my teeth.

The last thing I heard was her laughter before the front door slammed shut.

"She is quite something, isn't she?" Finnick said, crossing his arms as he continued to watch Madge running out onto the street.

"Oh, she's _something_ alright," I muttered.

"You know, I've always known you were an asshole, but why do you hate the girl so much? She hasn't done anything to you," he said, eyeing me.

I sighed, concentrating on the tile floors.

"Yeah, she's the mayor's daughter and all," he continued, "but she's never flaunted that at us. If I didn't know her, I'd just think she was…normal."

"Oh she's anything _but_ normal, Finnick," I finally said.

He raised a brow, waiting for me to continue.

"She…she kissed me."

"She…what?" He looked out the window, but Madge was long gone. "I mean…was she good?"

I grabbed a towel and chucked it his way. He caught it with a laugh.

"I mean, why is that…bad?" he asked.

"It's bad because…because she had never talked to me before and when she finally did, she just _kisses_ me out of nowhere! And she hasn't talked about it since! She just acts like nothing ever happened, like _she_ wasn't the one who just grabbed in an alley and attacked me with her lips!"

It felt good to finally get that off my chest. I haven't told anyone since it happened, not even Katniss. I looked over at Finnick who seemed eerily calm as he processed what I had just told him.

"Maybe _you_ should bring it up first," he finally suggested.

"You can't be serious."

He walked over to me, clamping a hand on my shoulder. "Oh, but I am. Just talk to her. That way I don't have to deal with your little tantrums whenever she's around. It stresses me out, and if I get wrinkles on my handsome face, I'm blaming you."

* * *

I found her sitting on the curb in front of the bakery, a cigarette in one hand and a strawberry tart in the other.

"Is that combination really appetizing to you?" I asked.

She took a long drag from her cigarette and blew out the puff of smoke before taking a bit of the tart. She grinned, crumbs spilling out of her mouth. "I call it my "two-in-one snack'. Want to try?"

She reached out both her arms, offering me the tart and cigarette.

"I don't smoke," I said, remaining a good five feet away from her.

She simply shrugged her shoulders, popping the last bit of the tart into her mouth and brushing the fallen crumbs off her lap.

"Do you ever go home?" I asked, taking a step closer.

She swallowed. "Why? Want a tour? Maybe you can come see my bedroom. I _did_ just get new sheets." She tapped the cigarette and watched the ashes fall to the ground.

I took another step. "Why'd you do it?" I finally blurted, frustration finally getting the best of me.

It irked me. _She_ irked me. She knew how to get under my skin. She was like a pesky mosquito. You want her to leave but when she finally does, she leaves a mark that's always reminding you that she was there.

A smile formed on her face as she threw the cigarette onto the ground and stood up, crushing it with her foot. She slowly walked over to me, her grin only widening as she noticed my balled up fists and the anger clearly etched on my face.

"Do what?" she asked, staring up at me.

"You know _what_ ," I gritted through my teeth. "That night…in the alley-"

"Because you were warm," she said, cutting me off. She was standing only a few inches away from me now. "You were warm."

I didn't know what I was exactly expecting her to say, but her answer didn't seem to surprise me.

An answer that brings in a million new questions.

It was such a Madge answer.

* * *

A/N: OooOooh what will happen next? Hope you guys enjoyed & as always, reviews are much appreciated :)


	4. Vomit

A/N: So, just a few things to clear up based on some reviews I've received (& thank you to all the amazing reviewers!) Most fics do perceive Madge as shy, introverted, quiet, kind, etc. but I've read a few stories that portrayed Madge as a "bad girl" which piqued my interest. In my story, she's not necessarily bad, but she definitely has a wild side to her. Anyway, it's definitely different from my usual Madge but I'm having a lot of fun writing it and I hope you all are having just as much fun reading it! Enjoy :)

* * *

It was unusually cold when I stepped out into the alleyway. The wind had picked up and as I flicked the lighter in my hand, the flames were immediately blown out by the harsh gust of air. After a fifth attempt, the flame flickered long enough for me to light up the end of the cigarette.

 _God, I need to quit_.

I leaned against the brick wall, savoring the feel of the smoke filling up every nerve in my body. I slowly blew out the smoke and watched as the wind picked carried it away.

I glanced down the dark alleyway, and spotted someone standing at the end of it. My eyes adjusted to the darkness and I could make out the tall form, dark hair, and olive skin that could only belong to the one and only Gale Hawthorne.

The golden boy.

I felt a smirk tug at the corner of my lips.

"Hawthorne," I found myself saying. I took another drag from the cigarette before facing him, blowing out the smoke in his direction as he took a step toward me. "Now what are _you_ doing here?"

He stood, almost as still as a statue, and I was hit with a sudden desire to _see_ him. I pushed myself off the wall and walked over to him. With every step I took, his face became clearer, and I could make out his handsome features.

"You know, you've always been quite the looker," I said, staring up at him.

 _Huh, his eyes are grey_.

I found myself dropping the cigarette onto the floor and I could hear it sizzle in protest as it hit the ground.

"Smoking can kill you."

His voice was quiet, but deep as the sound blended in with the howls of the harsh wind. I found myself smiling at that, and then noticed the stubborn glow of the cigarette. I stomped my foot over it, crushing it against the gravel.

"I know."

I found myself wanting to get closer to the warmth radiating off of him. He was so warm.

"Then why do you do it?" I heard him ask.

I took another step towards him, finally closing the gap between us. My body seemed to have a mind of its own as I placed my hands onto his shoulders. I could feel the hair on the back of my neck rising as I placed my lips next to his ear, whispering my answer.

"It makes me feel alive."

I heard him draw in a breath and I could feel his pulse racing under my fingertips. The wind had picked up once again, and before I knew it, I found myself pulling away just enough for me to place my lips over his.

 _Warm_.

His lips were as warm as I imagined them to be, and all I wanted was to block out the cold I had been feeling earlier. I pushed myself closer to him, basking in his warmth.

I didn't think my second encounter with him would be like this.

The boy who was so warm, warmer than I've ever been.

The golden boy.

Gale Hawthorne.

* * *

"Okay, what the hell is up with you two?"

I looked up from the book I was reading and raised a brow at Finnick. He laid his spatula on the counter and crossed his arms.

"What's up with what?" I dog-eared the page I was on and pushed myself off the wall.

Finnick scoffed and lifted his spatula, pointing it at me and then out the kitchen window. My eyes followed his direction and was met with Madge, who was currently talking animatedly with a customer.

"You guys have been ignoring each other all day! You're usually spouting whatever snide comment over at her every chance you get, but today you're as silent as a rock!" he let out an exasperated breath of air.

"Didn't know you had time to notice such things, Finnick" I said, opening up my book again.

"Hey, I may work at the kitchen but I notice _everything_ ," he said, not taking his eyes off me. " _Everything_."

I rolled my eyes. "Well there's nothing _up_ between us so you can calm down, alright?"

"Bullshit."

 _The time will come, the time will not be long in coming, when new ties will be formed—_

"Hey is the order for table two ready? He's getting a bit antsy."

"Yeah, I'm plating it right now," I heard Finnick say.

I could feel the warmth radiating from her but focused on the words before me.

 _Formed about you-ties that will bind you yet more tenderly and strongly to the home you so adorn-the dearest ties that will ever—_

"Thanks Finnick," she said.

I heard him handing her the plate but I could still feel her standing next to me. After an excruciating ten seconds, I heard her let out a loud sigh before finally walking away. I didn't look up until the kitchen doors closed shut.

"So nothing huh?" Finnick smirked.

I snapped my book shut and tucked it under my arms. "Yes, nothing."

* * *

 _"_ _What the hell are you going on about Undersee?"_

 _Madge shrugged her shoulders which only irritated me even more. "I was cold. You were warm. It must've been a natural reaction. Maybe my body just can't help but be attracted to you."_

 _She said it so simply, like she didn't care at all._

 _"_ _Attracted to me," I repeated._

 _She nodded her head and in that moment, I wished I hadn't said anything at all._

Damn Finnick.

 _"_ _Calm down," she said, her laughter filling up the space between us. "It's not like I said I love you or anything." Her blue eyes filled with amusement. "Yet."_

 _I took a few steps back but Madge's smile didn't falter. "Do you have to joke about everything? You can never give me a straight answer, Undersee."_

 _"_ _Maybe I can't," she said. "I was never really one to follow the crowd."_

 _I scoffed. "Well, when you can have a normal conversation with me then you know where to find me."_

 _I quickly turned and walked away, only to hear another set of footsteps behind me. I quickened my pace, grateful for my longer strides and didn't turn around until the sound of her footsteps faded away._

* * *

A series of rapid knocks jolted me awake.

I didn't know how I'd fallen asleep and my eyes adjusted to the setting sun glaring through my window.

"Come in," I groaned out.

Not even a few seconds later, Katniss barged into my room. Her face was flushed and she began to pace around, muttering to herself.

"Should I be worried?" I asked, sitting up from my bed.

Katniss stopped in her steps and finally looked over at me. She seemed surprised to see me, like _she_ wasn't the one who had just barged into _my_ room.

"Um, okay well," she stammered. "The thing is…well. Okay, you know how…well-"

"Just spit it out already!"

She let out a breath of air and sat at the edge of my bed. "Okay, you know how we…we dated a few years back? I mean, it was more of an _attempt_ at dating but you know, we were younger and I guess we just had to try it out and-"

I closed my eyes, not knowing why she was even bringing this up. Yes, we had dated but that was _years_ ago and it was more of a…test of sorts. We had been friends since forever and I've always had a silly crush on her and then…then our dads died and…well.

The important thing is, it wasn't successful. It was a topic we _rarely_ brought up, or so I thought.

"You're not in love with me, are you?" I joked. "Because that ship has sailed…a _long_ time ago."

Katniss's cheeks flushed red and her grey eyes widened in surprise. "Hell no!"

I shrugged my shoulders. "Then may I ask, _why_ are you bringing this up?"

"Okay well, we were going through a lot then, you know? Our dads both died and I mean, we didn't know what we were feeling and… _I_ sure didn't know what I was feeling. Needless to say, I hadn't dated anyone since you and I just…well. Okay, let me back track," she took in a deep breath. "Peeta. Peeta Mellark. You know him, right? The baker's son?"

I nodded my head but was still confused as to where she was going with this.

"We've been… _talking_ ," she said slowly, clearly observing my reaction. "And well…I never knew how it felt to really _like_ a guy. I mean, the feelings I'm having towards him and well, it just happened so fast I mean-"

"Can you just get on with it already!" I finally yelled out. I had never seen Katniss _this_ flustered before.

"HE KISSED ME!"

She finally managed to breathe out and her body sagged as she finally let it all out.

"Mellark kissed you?"

She nodded, her cheeks reddening again.

I pursed my lips as I tried to process everything she had told me.

The baker's son, _Peeta_ , and Katniss were… _talking_.

Peeta kissed Katniss.

Katniss kissed Peeta.

Katniss likes Peeta.

Peeta likes Katniss?

"So…what does that all mean exactly?" I finally asked.

Katniss let out a sigh, and fell back onto my bed. "I don't know, Gale. I just…I think I really like him. I've just never felt this way towards anyone before."

"Gee, thanks," I said.

She laughed. "You know what I mean. What we had…that was different. Peeta…he's a really nice guy. Too nice for me. Which makes me wonder why he even likes me in the first place! He just…"

I fell back beside her and nudged her. "You like him."

She turned to her side to face me and slowly nodded her head. "I do."

Watching the blush creep back onto her cheeks and the way she couldn't seem to wipe the smile off her face made me realize that she genuinely, truly liked him. This Peeta.

"So what now?" I asked.

"We're suppose to meet later tonight. At the Hob. I'm gonna tell him that I like him," she said. "Or do you think it's too soon? I mean, I don't want to come off as too eager or anything-"

I wrapped an arm around her and pulled her towards me. "He won't think that. If anything, he's probably ready to tell you too."

"You think so?" she asked, her voice muffled against my chest.

"Mhm."

I felt her body relax under my arms. "That's a relief...and Gale?"

"Hm?"

"If you don't let go of me, I'm going to pass out."

* * *

I heard little footsteps making its way down the hall and soon enough, Posy barged into my room, jumping onto my bed.

"Gale!" she squealed, snuggling up to my side. "It's story time!"

She handed me the book in her hand and looked at me expectedly.

"The Adventures of Little Duck? Again, Pose? We read this for the past three nights," I said,

flipping through the pages.

Posy smiled, "It's my _favorite_ Gale! Read read read!"

I sighed and turned over, laying on my stomach. I flipped to the first page when my phone rang.

I mouthed a quick sorry in Posy's direction and sat up.

"Hello?"

"Gale!" Katniss's voice yelled from the other end. "I-I didn't know what to do. It's Madge, we just found her passed out and I didn't know who else to call. She looks _bad_ Gale, really bad."

I got off my bed, already getting my keys as I asked her where exactly they were.

"The Hob. Gale, hurry."

* * *

When I arrived at the bar, I saw Katniss crouched beside her. She was right, Madge looked horrible. Katniss was cradling her blonde head against her lap.

"How long has she been passed out?" I asked, quickly walking over to them.

Katniss looked up, worry still etched into her features. "I-I don't know. We found her like this fifteen minutes ago and I called you right away. I…We were gonna call the police but, I think she just had too much to drink and passed out."

I finally noticed that Katniss wasn't alone. The blonde crouched beside her stood up and reached a hand out towards me. "I'm Peeta. We were just leaving when we saw her like this."

I quickly shook his hand before crouching down, and placing a hand under Madge's knees and another under her neck. I lifted her up and her head fell against my shoulder.

"Can you get the back door open for me?" I looked over at Katniss who immediately nodded and rushed over to my truck. She opened the door and I gently laid Madge down on the seat. "Do you guys need a ride back?"

Katniss shook her head. "We can walk." She then wrapped her arms around me and I pulled her closer. "Thank you, Gale. I know you don't like her…but seeing her like that scared the shit out of me." She pulled away and glanced back over at Peeta. "I'll call you tomorrow?"

I nodded, shutting the back door and making my way over to the driver's seat. I knew I couldn't take Madge back to her place like this so as I started the engine, I took her to the only place I could think of.

* * *

Thankfully, Posy wasn't asleep on my bed and I pushed aside the covers before placing Madge onto the mattress. She let out a quiet groan before rolling over to her side. I sighed and stood up, looking down at her.

I didn't know where else to go and figured this was the best choice for now. I grabbed a wet towel and wiped away the sweat on her face. Pieces of her hair were sticking to the side of her neck and I brushed them away.

I grabbed a chair and placed it beside the bed. As I watched her, I concluded that she wasn't too bad to look at when she was silent.

After a few minutes, her eyes fluttered open and they widened in surprise as she took in the unfamiliar surrounding.

"How're you feeling?" I asked.

She turned her head towards me and gasped. "Gale?" She tried sitting up but her arms shook when she lifted herself up.

"Katniss found you passed out. You're lucky it was her and not some creep," I said, handing her the glass of water. She took it gratefully and quickly downed the whole thing.

She wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. "I should go."

"Are you sure you're okay?"

She nodded, already slipping on her shoes. "I've just been tired lately and then had too much to drink tonight. I'll be fine once I sleep it off."

She stumbled and lost her balance as she walked across my room and I grabbed her arm to steady her.

"I'll drive you," I said, already pulling her to my side. "I don't need you passing out on the side of the road."

I took her silence as a sign that she agreed. When we got outside, Madge pulled herself away from me and staggered away.

"Hate me touching you that much?" I said, watching her sway side to side.

She turned and smirked at me. "Any other time, I wouldn't mind you touching me but…" she raised a finger before running to the bushes beside me. She began to vomit in the leaves and the only sound coming from her were heavy breaths followed by her coughing. I quickened my pace toward her but she had already straightened up. Her blue eyes looked up at me, and despite the fact that she had thrown up just a few seconds ago, the corners of her lips curved into a smile.

"Didn't want to puke all over you."

* * *

The drive to her place was silent and as I finally pulled up to her house, the silence between us became even more awkward.

"So...what exactly happened tonight?" I asked.

She stared out the window, up at her dark house. "You know, as much as I appreciate all this, you don't have to do this."

"Do what, exactly?"

"This. The whole 'I'm gonna pretend that I give a shit about the poor drunk girl. I don't need that."

"I'm not-"

"I think the way you've been ignoring me for the past few days says enough about how you feel towards me," she sighed. "But thanks for the ride and for saving my ass. Twice. Won't happen again."

My mind couldn't seem to form coherent sentences. I was taken aback by her sudden cold tone, so different from just moments before. I didn't know what to feel. Anger. Confusion. Concern?

Either way, Madge didn't give me enough time to know. She had opened the door and hopped out of my truck before I could figure it out.

What I _did_ know was that her smell lingered the whole drive back.

Coffee and cigarettes.

And vomit.

* * *

A/N: Reviews = fireworks! Happy 4th everyone! :)


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